Spiritual Resources During COVID19

From the Archdiocese of Toronto's website.

During this difficult time, here are some ways to stay connected to the life of the Church that do not require being in a physical church building.

Our Response in Faith

• Pope Francis' Litany of Supplication and the Urbi et Orbi address on COVID-19 and Jesus calming the storm.

• Pope Francis' Prayer to the Virgin Mary.

• Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary on the granting of special Indulgences to the faithful in the current pandemic.

• Pandemic and Universal Brotherhood: a Note on COVID-19 from the Pontifical Academy for Life.

• Statement from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops highlighting the importance of faith and prayer during this time.

Mass

• Mass every day at 7:30 a.m. with Cardinal Collins from St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica in Toronto.  Available through livestream and archived for your convenience.

• ASL Mass Livestream from the International Catholic Deaf Association, Canadian Section. Please scroll down for additional resources for persons with special needs.

Spiritual Communion

Spiritual Communion is a way to be united with Christ when we cannot physically receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. It can be made at home or in church, in front of the Blessed Sacrament or not.

How do I do it?

1. Start with the sign of the cross and prayer.

2. Read and reflect on the readings from Mass that day.

3. Have a real desire to be united with Christ.

4. Acknowledge your sins and ask for pardon and forgiveness.

5. Receive Christ in your soul and pray an act of Spiritual Communion (see below).

6. Offer thanksgiving.

St. Alphonsus Liguori's Act of Spiritual Communion

My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.

Prayer

• Take some time every day to read and pray with the Scripture from the Mass of the day. This helps us stay connected to the life of the Church.

  • Magnificat is making their online version available to everyone for free temporarily. Included in this offer is online access to Magnifikid! which provides a weekly newsletter for children featuring the Sunday readings and other prayers.

  • Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is offering Gospel reflections throughout Lent.

  • Videos from various priests in the U.K., based on the daily Mass readings.

  • Stewardship Reflections:
    - 5th Sunday of Lent: Contemplating the Spirit Within
    - Palm Sunday: Evangelizing in a Hidden Way

• You can pray with Scripture using a traditional prayer known as Lectio Divina.
  

• The Liturgy of the Hours is a way to pray the Psalms while also marking and consecrating time.  It allows us to pray in common, even when we cannot be physically together.  In fact, it is called the Prayer of the Church.

  • Universalis is a free online Liturgy of the Hours resource. Keep in mind that the free version uses the company's translation so it might be a bit different than the standard translation in a hard copy of the Liturgy of the Hours. Also, make sure you set your location to Canada. After that, all you need to do is pick your hour on the left sidebar and start praying!

  • ibreviary is an app and website that provides the daily prayers for the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Video Guide: How to Pray the Liturgy of the Hours.

• Pray the Rosary and Angelus with Cardinal Collins every day after the 7:30 a.m. Mass from St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica.  Available through livestream and archived for your convenience.

• Pray the Stations of the Cross.  You may want to use this recording from St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica, the traditional text by St. Alphonsus de Liguori or this video from Busted Halo.

• MISSION 7!: Free Lenten Talks courtesy of Evango.

• Holy Week Virtual Retreats from Liturgy Training Publications.  These virtual retreats are free but registration is required.

• A Prayer amid an Epidemic by Kerry Weber.

• Pray the Litany of Trust, a prayer composed by Sr. Faustina Maria Pia from the Sisters of Life. Ask Jesus to deliver us from the things that hold us bound and to place our trust in His promises.

• Start your own Discipleship Quad, an online Prayer Group with free resources from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Faith Formation

This is not the time to stop learning about our faith!  Register today for a course or seminar from the University of Dayton. 

• Available in English and en Español. Dates: April 19 to May 4, 2020.

• Dates: April 19 to May 4, 2020.

• Registration deadline: April 15, 2020.

• Certificates of completion offered conjointly with the Archdiocese of Toronto.

• Cost: $40 US per course for members of the Archdiocese of Toronto.

For more information, contact Connie Price, Associate Director of Catechesis, at cprice@archtoronto.org or 416-934-3400, ext. 513.

• FORMED: Stream Catholic movies, programs, audio and books. Please contact your parish for access or enjoy a free trial for 40 days.

• Free online courses and other resources from the University of Notre Dame: Two self-guided online courses, available until May 31, 2020.

• The Quarantined Catholic Hub: Free resources from Dr. Scott Hahn, including a weekly Sunday Bible Reflection.

• The Upper Room: Free webinars, talks, daily inspirational messages and resources from the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

• Alpha Online: Now more than ever people are seeking to have honest conversations about life and faith. Alpha can provide you with all the tools and resources you need to reach your community.

Charity and Care of Those Around Us

• Check in on your neighbours and offer help when you can. Even though we should practice social distancing, we can still call or write emails and letters to those who are isolated or vulnerable.

• We can pray for all of those impacted by this virus.

• The Church depends on the generous offerings of our earthly treasure to continue the work of God. Online giving will be an important lifeline for parishes and the larger community while we are not able to attend Mass. Please consider making your Sunday offering online and continue giving to charitable causes (such as ShareLife) as you are able.

For Parish Leaders

• The Office of Formation for Discipleship is at your service.  Explore the resources that we have curated for your various ministries and contact us if we can help you adapt these programs to your particular pastoral needs.

• Re:Imagine Easter Online Webinar from Parish Catalyst: Hear some creative solutions for communications, family liturgy and online giving. The webinar is free but registration is required.

• Revive: 3-month trial now available for online courses for parish leaders.

• One License: Free music reprint licenses to new users to help cope with COVID-19 challenges (valid through April 15).

• Vibrant Faith: A series of free and low-cost webinars on a range of faith formation topics.

• Suggestions for Clergy and Parish Staff from the Archdiocese of Washington: An infographic with 10 great suggestions that come with hyperlinks to practical examples.

• Tips from the Diocese of Green Bay for working remotely, digital meetings and livestreaming.

• #CatholicsAtHome, prayers and other suggestions from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

• Training, resources and support from the Amazing Parish to equip pastors and parish leadership teams for innovative ministry in a time of crisis.

• Now is Our Time, Now is Our Moment: Planting Spiritual Victory Gardens: An insightful article by Deacon Ditewig for deacons and for anyone willing to put their professional skills at the service of Christ and neighbour.

For Parents and Families

• How to Pray the TV Mass from Home: Some helpful steps from the Diocese of Sioux Falls for creating a sacred space at your home.

• Loyola Press offers developmentally suitable guides to each Sunday's Liturgy of the Word.

• At Home with Your Faith: A day-by-day compilation of suggestions from the Archdiocese of Baltimore to help you live faith in the domestic church, your home.

• The simplicity of Taizé Songs makes them perfect choices for children of all ages.  Find Lenten selections such as Jesus, Remember Me or Stay with Me, on your favorite music streaming service.  The Taizé Community Choir album is a good choice.

• Catechesis of the Good Shepherd USA is offering a wealth of resources tailored to a child's developmental stage. These range from how to prepare a prayer table, praying with children at home, developmentally suitable scripture passages, and resources for celebrating Lent and Holy Week at home.

• Elizabeth Foss offers free downloads of her Stories of Grace prayer journal for children, including a series of reflections on the parables.

• Daniel Mitsui offers beautiful free coloring sheets, suitable for older children.

• Growing in Faith Growing in Christ Online Resources: Religion resources for students in grades 1 to 6 available during school closures.  Sponsored by the Catholic Bishops of Ontario, Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories.

• The Way of Christ faith formation program: During the COVID-19 quarantine, the St. Philip Institute encourages you to follow the Way of Christ. Download their small catechism for free and work through the lessons using the videos and 10-question quizzes for each lesson.

• Articles by Dr. Joseph White, child and family psychologist and catechetical consultant for Our Sunday Visitor, concerning families and children coping with the COVID-19 outbreak.

For Those with Special Needs

• National Catholic Partnership on Disability Covid-19 Resources: This U.S.-based site is updated daily.  It contains a wide range of resources that may help those with mental health issues, autism, caregiving responsibilities, dementia, physical and cognitive special needs throughout this time of crisis.

• ASL Mass Livestream from the International Catholic Deaf Association, Canadian Section.

• Prayers and Stations of the Cross in ASL from Fr. MD's Kitchen Table.

For those who Lost a Loved One

• Catholic Cemeteries & Funeral Services, Archdiocese of Toronto.

• Funerals in the Time of Coronavirus: Thoughts for Families Reflective suggestions for families who have just experienced a loved one's death from the novel coronavirus.

For Health Care Workers

• Prayers and resources from the Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA).

• The New Charter for Health Care Workers is a revision and updating of the earlier 1994 edition, also produced by the Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers. The work is divided into three major sections: “Procreating,” “Living,” and “Dying.” Each lays out authoritative teachings in medical ethics grounded in the traditional resources of the Church.

Other Resources

• Washing your Hands, Catholic Style from the Diocese of Dallas: A fun illustrated guide to washing your hands to the words of the Our Father and the Apostles Creed.

• The Catholic Register: Free access to the digital edition for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The Center for Loss and Life Transition provides articles by its Director, Dr. Alan Wolfelt, related to grief and loss as it pertains to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Updated regularly. 

• Remaining Spiritually Engaged in Your Own Home: Practical suggestions for the entire family to stay spiritually engaged while confined to home.

• How to Flourish During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Ways to grow and flourish the interior reflection during this pandemic. This is the product of research from the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard.

• Faith in Isolation is a platform created to spiritually nourish those isolated from their faith practices as a result of COVID-19. The platform features webinars, brief videos on the daily Mass readings, and livestreaming from the Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham and the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in Brompton, London.

• Practical resources from the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute on end of life decision-making and advance care planning in light of COVID-19.

• Virtual Catholic Conference: Join 15,000 Catholics from all around the world for a Virtual Free Catholic Conference on April 3-5, 2020. Register now for the Female or Male Conferences and experience a weekend of prayer, fellowship, and formation.